July 2023 was the hottest month on Earth since at least 1880 ‘by a longshot,’ NASA says

In the Wake of Hawaii’s Wildfires, NASA Experts Discuss Climate Emergency

In the wake of Hawaii’s tragic wildfires, responsible for the deaths of more than 90 people and counting, NASA experts gathered Monday (Aug. 14) to discuss the state of our planet’s climate emergency. The discussion was quite jarring.

Not only did the panelists confirm that July of this year was the hottest month on a record dating back to the late 1800s, but also that the last five hottest Julys in this database occurred within the past five years. The agency further projects that next year will be hotter still.

Record-breaking Temperatures

1. July was 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit (0.24 degrees Celsius) warmer than any other July in NASA’s record, which goes back to 1880.
2. July was 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.18 degrees Celsius) warmer than the average July temperature between 1951 and 1980.

“It was the warmest July by a longshot,” Sarah Kapnick, chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said during the conference.

Anthropogenic Effects on Climate Change

• Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, stated that long-term trends in climate change are due to human-driven activity such as burning coal for power, deforestation, and air pollution.
• NASA’s data shows that natural climate change factors like El Niño events and volcanic activity have minimal impact compared to human contributions.

Rising Temperatures and Natural Disasters

Rising temperatures contribute to severe natural disasters such as drought, cyclones, and wildfires. The recent wildfires in Hawaii are a direct result of these conditions.

Impact on Wildfires

• Climate change has caused storms to move north, resulting in less rainfall over the Hawaiian island of Maui and creating drier conditions.
• Climate change acts as a threat-multiplier for wildfires.

Effects on Marine Health

The oceans are experiencing about 90% of global warming, leading to sea level rise, coastal flooding, and erosion.

Threats to Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are dying off due to global warming, which has significant implications for marine species, medicine, livelihoods, and coastal protection.

NASA’s Climate Solutions

NASA is actively working on climate solutions to address the climate emergency:

• PACE mission (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem) is set to launch in 2024 and aims to detect changes in ocean color.
• Development of self-flying aircraft to combat wildfires.
• Creation of open-source Earth data websites for scientists to access information.

“A year like this gives us a glimpse at how rising temperatures and heavier rains can impact our society and stress critical infrastructure over the next decade,” Kapnick said. “These years will be cool by comparison, by the middle of the century, if we continue to warm our planet.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
   • Target 13.5: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

   The article discusses the state of our planet’s climate emergency, highlighting the record-breaking temperatures in July and the link between climate change and severe natural disasters such as wildfires and coastal flooding. These issues are directly connected to SDG 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

2. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds
   • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts
   • Target 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification
   • Target 14.7: By 2030, increase the economic benefits to small island developing states and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources

   The article also discusses the effects of climate change on marine health, including the warming of oceans, sea level rise, and the impact on coral reefs and marine species. These issues are relevant to SDG 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 13: Climate Action	Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning Target 13.5: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts	No specific indicators mentioned in the article.
SDG 14: Life Below Water	Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts Target 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification Target 14.7: By 2030, increase the economic benefits to small island developing states and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources	No specific indicators mentioned in the article.

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Source: space.com

 

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